Happy Birthday Bakers Box

Oh wow at last today in Lincolnshire the sun is shining and it has a little warmth. Hopefully Spring is coming back instead of Winter extending.

Today I have a cute Stampin' Up! baker's box to share with you and there's a little sneak peek of some of the new in colours coming in the new annual catalogue in June.  The bold designer series paper is called Playful Palette and is a 6" x 6" stack.  The sentiment is from new stamp set Confetti Celebration.

I'm already loving these bright designs!

Have a great day and if you're somewhere that has a long weekend like we do in the UK with a bank holiday on Monday have fun and enjoy the sunshine.

Zx

Stampin' Up! Grand Vacation Blog Hop - Baby Love

I can't believe a month has passed since the last Mediterranean Acheivers Blog Hop.  Welcome wherever you've come from today to our Baby Love theme hop.

I finally caved and bought the fab Stampin Up set Made with Love to make these cards and I've enjoyed it so much I've made more which I'll add to my for sale boxes.  It really is a cute set and leads to some fab cute cards.

For the baby boy card I used some thick whisper white card stock and put the patterned designer series paper on the inside rather than the front.  I've turned back the top corner revealing the paper inside.  I stamped the baby grow in mint macaron and then used marker pens to colour it.  I'm sad to see the triple punch pack go with the cute little star, but couldn't resist using it here as all babies are little stars and of course made with love.

My baby girl card is uber cute with the cute little dear and some stamping from the I love You Sew hostess set in the spring catalogue.  A little washi tape and some silver, clear and white sequin hearts made for this sweet card.  Again a touch of subtles DSP just to remind you it's for a pink baby i.e. girl

I encourage you to visit the other blogs on the list below to see lots of fabulous inspiration for baby cards and more.  Enjoy the hop.  You're currently with me Zoe Tant

If you've seen any products that you like the look of you can buy them in my online shop.

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See you again soon.

Zx

Sincerely Yours Craft Shows - Newark Stampin' Up! Workshop

I will be at the Newark Sincerely Yours Craft Show with my Stampin' Up! stand on Sunday 8th May and I hope you'll pop along and see us if you attend.

On Saturday 7th May some of the stall holders will be running workshops and that includes me offering an all day class including all materials and hot drinks.  This is one of the projects we'll be making and if you'd like to join those booked in already please do contact me for more details or contact Sincerely Yours .

On show day we will have a free make and take and demonstrations of some fabulous Stampin' Up! products.  Please do come and say hello.

If you like the Botanical Gardens Bundle including a set of dies, stamps and designer series paper used in the project above you can buy it with a 15% discount until 31 May, after that it will no longer be a bundle and the gorgeous papers will be retired.

TO SHOP - visit my Stampin' Up! UK online shop.

I'll be back later tonight with another project for the Grand Vacation Achiever's Blog Hop with some Baby Love. See you then.

Zx

Thank you

Happy mail arrived at the Tant house today. It's our travel pack for the upcoming, fast, Stampin' Up! grand vacation that I earned last year.  I'm very excited to be sharing my first cruise with my fab hubby, Martin.  We're visiting cities that we went to on our honeymoon and then again on a wonderful family holiday 5 years ago.

I am so grateful to have a wonderful team, The Tantalizing Stampers who help inspire me every day to work hard to grow my Stampin' Up! business and earn rewards such as this amazing Mediterranean cruise.  I am also very lucky to have wonderful customers who love Stampin' Up! and continue to be loyal to me. Thank you all so much for your ongoing support, it is appreciated more than you can imagine.

So the countdown is on and I have swaps to make to take with me and some planning to do about what we'll see and do.

I am somewhat nervous as I'm like fine wine and don't travel well, but I'm going to give it a go and see what this cruising stuff is all about.

Thank you to everyone who supports me.

Hugs Zx

Stampin' Up! Birthday Blooms joins Itty Bitty Butterfly

Ooh I've had a busy couple of weeks what with a mega class with the Jambusters WI, 70 ladies card making.  Stampin parties and card club.  This is a card we made at some of the parties and also at card club.  It features the Stampin Up set Birthday Blooms here the large flower is stamped in craft white ink and allowed to dry.  It's a pigment ink that you can use to heat emboss or use to stamp with, but bear in mind it takes longer to dry.  We also used the Itty Bitty Butterfly punch for some bold   splashes of colour from the brights collection.  The gorgeous sweeping sentiment is part of the Butterfly Basics stamp set.  A quick corner round and we're there.  Quick, simple, but with WOW factor.

It worked well with a tip top taupe base and butterflies in neutrals various.  Why don't you have a go and share with me what you come up with.

More soon.
Zx

Happy Birthday Dad

It's been a tough few months for my fabulous Dad, but he's hanging on in there following surgery to hopefully stop the spread of the big C.  He's now struggling a bit with the whole idea of eating little and often as he grew up on 3 square meals a day, but he's getting there slowly.  My Mum is working her magic and adapting too to helping Dad follow this new regime.  We've also learned to take her out for 'real' meals as well.

However it's celebration time today as it is Dad's birthday. I've made hime this card as he does mean the world to me and my family, but he is also a big star in my eyes.  He's been a great sounding board in my life and a good friend.  Have a lovely Dad.

Now what did I do.  I embossed the globe stamp from Stampin Up Going Global set in white and then spritz the piece of watercolour card with water before adding drops of ink using an aqua painter as my dipper dropper!  I punched out the world, ooh that sounds grand, then used circle thinlits to cut the pacific point circle border.  I've punched out various stars including one from the sea and also some epoxy accent star stickers.  My happy birthday is from Something to Say on the retired list.

Once again HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD - have a great day.

Hugs Zx

Christmas Card Club with Stampin Up Gorgeous Grunge

Stampin Up Gorgeous Grunge makes a fun Christmas Card Wreath

I promised this morning I'd be back with another quick post. I'm a little later than planned as I was late home from Onstage 2016 at Telford and was happy, but shattered and so slept in.  My earlier post was scheduled.
 Our day was so much fun yesterday.  I travelled over on Friday with some friends and we stayed once again in the most delightful B&B.  On arrival, we sat in the victorian sitting room with its roaring log fire, drank tea and ate homemade scones, strawberry cake and for those that liked walnut and coffee cake there was some of that too.  I was ready to curl up and snooze then, but headed out to the CentreStage event laid on by Stampin' Up! for senior managers.  We had a short presentation and then a delicious meal and we received a gorgeous back pack which is the same colour as a new colour coming in soon. I will share a pic tomorrow as I'm not allowed just yet.  I can share some of the fun at the event though.

Table I sat at were awarded some balloons as a bit of fun. So here is me before I took them back to our B&B for my friend Mikaela's little boy to find when he woke up the next morning.  He's only 5 and I'm sure he loved the outgoing in colour balloons!  

The tables were beautifully laid also and decorated with these stunning flowers. 

Yesterday at the actual Onstage Event we were given a copy of the new Stampin Up 2016 - 2017 catalogue and you can almost see it here as my bestie Emily received hers!  Sorry to tease, but we can't quite show it all just yet.

Now my card for  this fortnight's Christmas Card Challenge.  Our challenger this time is Valery who set the theme of Red Berries.  I've created a fun, modern wreath card and used real red candy dots for my berries.  I stamped around in a rough circle using one of the stamps from Gorgeous Grunge in garden green ink, added the berries and also cut a red foil card bow using a die from The Wonderful Wreath Framelits.  There is also the inevitable bling of some tiny rhinestones for added sparkle.

Don't forget to visit the others in our challenge who have some great inspiration for Red Berries.

More soon.
Zx

Wow What a day!

Yesterday I spent the day in Telford International Centre with almost 400 other Stampin' Up! UK crafters.  We got to play with new products from the upcoming annual catalogue and we got to bring a copy of the catalogue home.  OOOOOOOOH I'm so excited it is so browse worthy and today I'm spending my day doing exactly that.  Of course I will share it with you properly in June when it launches, but you have a treat in store believe me. 

At these Stampin' Up! events we swap card fronts and other projects to get lots of ideas and this is one of the swaps I made to share.  I made it in two colour ways with slight differences.  I used the wonderful paper stacks to add a strip of designer paper to each to add a little wow factor and make it different from just the stamped image.  By now you have probably seen this stamp from Birthday Blooms which is just gorgeous don't you think.  It is a bit of wow on its own anyway, but I just wanted to make something simple, with a little more WOW!

The top version uses pool party and the bottom one crumb cake.  Easy to create and I will share another very soon that I made for Cards for Keeps which I will explain when I post the card.

Enjoy your weekend and check back later as I'll also be sharing my Christmas Card Club card with you which will feature 'red berries'.

Bye for now.

Zx

Stampin' Up! Balloon Celebration Wedding Favours

Today I'm at the biannual Stampin' Up! Onstage Event at Telford International Centre.  It's a gathering of the crazy Stampin' Up! folk from all over the UK.  We're here to learn about new products coming your way in June and also to get our hands on the new catalogue.  

I'm sharing my team swaps with you today.  I've adapted the Stampin' Up! Bakers Box and added a fun twist using lolly sticks and the balloons punched out of brights card stock.  I've also used Balloon Celebrations stamp set to add some images to the black boxes.  These were stamped in whisper white craft ink, which is a pigment ink so it needs time to dry or you can use it to heat emboss adding clear or white embossing powder before the ink dries then heating with your heat gun. I choose to just let it dry and it gives a kind of chalk board effect which is fun with these bright balloons.  These would make fabulous favours for children's birthdays of weddings. 

Each box contains some treats in the form of mini Tic Tac boxes in different flavours and a mini hand cream tube.  An eclectic mix of treats true!!!

Come back tomorrow and I'll be sharing one of my card swaps that I made to share with other demos to get different ideas and inspiration in return.

Have a good Saturday. I know I will be.

Hugs Zx

Oh what a big class!

This week I held my second biggest class ever with the lovely ladies of the Jambusters WI.  With 70 members it took some organising to get them all to make a card, but it made for a fun evening with baskets being passed down the tables and everyone having the opportunity to chat with friends.  Everyone made a card and it went very smoothly with one exception.  I hadn't remembered that WI ladies go 'off piste' at times and I hadn't anticipated the first lady to stamp on one table using the green ink instead of the purple to stamp her flowers!! Luckily I realised in time before the stamp with purple and green ink turned to a nasty brown blur colour and all continued well.  

Of course the WI are renowned for the their tea and baking and being such a big group this surpassed any expectation you might have had for tea and a biscuit.  I have to confess I was brought two delicious cupcakes, both different and both homemade.  I had to eat both, it would have been rude not to.....

Thank you ladies for your very warm welcome, delicious cakes and the fun you shared in making cards.  I look forward to seeing many of you again soon. 

Zx

Spring Flowers for Get Well Wishes

I've just made this card for one of my lovely customers who had the most horrendous fall down the stairs a couple of weeks ago.  She is going to be in hospital for quite some time and hopefully soon will be in a hospital nearby her home, husband and all of us girls waiting to go and wish her well.  In the meantime I'm hoping this card will reach her and brighten her day.

It's also team A's turn over at Moving Along with the Times and the theme set by the lovely Gail is Spring Flowers so please do come and join in our challenge.

I inked a clear block for this with pear pizzazz and spritzed it gently with water before placing it onto the card.  With the stems from Stampin Up stamp set Number of Years I stamped in wild wasabi and then stamped the sweet little flowers in calypso coral, so saffron and pool party.  I also added some subtles candy dots for some extra detail.  I've also used the dotty stamp from Number of Years to add some background gentle colour in pool party.  The bow is from Wondrous Wreath and I've used brights daffodil delight to just lift the whole thing.  The sentiment is from Sassy Salutations which is a fabulous sentiment set for the whole year in bold script.

Best wishes to the lovely J.  I hope you are up and about very soon. Sending hugs.

Remember to check out the MAWTT blog and join our fortnightly challenge.

Zx

Seen some products that you like? Please do visit my Stampin' Up! Online Shop.

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Happy Birthday Linda

Happy Birthday to my lovely friend Linda who is celebrating her 50 th today.  It seems that 1966 was a vintage year as I have several friends celebrating this year including me! It was also the year that England last won the World Cup in football and on my 21st my home town Coventry won the FA Cup.  As I said a vintage year.

For Linda's card I've used Stampin' Up! Number of Years stamps and dies and I've added some doodle dashes with the white gel pen and some petite flowers and pearls.  The paper beneath is in the spring catalogue and is called Love Blossoms. It's probably not easy to see in the picture, but I also used my Wink of Stella clear pen to add some sparkle to the numbers just painting it over the patterned paper. I do love a bit of Wink!!!

Have a fabarooney day Linda.  Let the celebrations continue!

Cheers
Zx

ps only 3 more sleeps until the Big Stampin' Up! Crafters Gathering!!! Whoop Whoop

Crafting with Friends

The countdown is on to this weekend when I will join nearly 400 Stampin' Up! UK demonstrators at our new twice yearly training events.  We get to share ideas, inspiration and lots more and most importantly we get to come home with the new Stampin' Up! annual catalogue for 2016 - 2017.  Guess what I'm doing on Sunday............

This is my take on a saying I saw on a bag a few weeks ago. What more could a girl want than crafting and drinking tea with friends for a little bit of luxurious therapy!  It takes a little patience, but the alphabet rotary stamp is perfect for adding your own messages on cards.

I'm so excited about the weekend mainly because I get to spend time with my lovely teamies, but also to catch up with friends I've made since I joined Stampin' Up! over 8 years ago.  It will be a crazy day and on Friday I've been invited to the Manager's Reception which is a complimentary meal, with information and the invitation says a gift also. Can't wait.  Just 4 more sleeps.

In the meantime I'm making lots of lovely projects to share over the coming weeks with you including using the fabulous A Nice Cuppa.  I love these toppling tea cups and I'm a great tea drinker too so they really appeal.  Are you a tea drinker? Are you good old Tetley/Typhoo or green tea or fruit teas?

Leave a comment and tell me what you prefer.

Zx

If you'd like to join the fun and be able to get your hands on new catalogues and product before anyone else please do contact me for more information or find out more on my Join now page.

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Christmas Card Club

Can you believe it is already April!!!! Each year always starts busy for me with Stampin' Up! launching its annual mega promotion Sale-a-bration, but April already.  It's also yet another fortnight on since our last Christmas Card Club Challenge.  The challenge was set by Carol who asked us to use a stencil or embossing folder if we didn't have a stencil.  I do have stencils and used this one from the cute pack of 6" x 6" stencils called Happy Patterns (138313).  With a little snail adhesive I attached my basic black layer onto a piece of copier paper just enough to hold it in place. Then using masking tape I held the stencil in place over the card stock.  I then carefully used my Versa Mark pad to add ink  although this was a little tricky as this stencil has lots of detail and so is not the most stable of stencils.  Check out one of the other stencils that I used in my last stamping scene post for more ideas.  Having added the ink I removed the stencil and then added silver embossing powder and heated with a heat gun.  

The stencilled back ground is then matted onto a frame of silver glimmer paper and finally onto a white card base.  

Santa is a stamp I bought in Lakeland years ago when they sold crafty goodies.  He's kinda jolly and I stamped him twice in black Staz On ink and coloured him in with my Stampin' Up! marker pens.  I cut out his head to give extra depth to the image.  I've also used a Wink of Stella clear pen to add some sparkle to his hat band, gloves and holly berries.  

Last but not least is a sentiment from Sassy Salutations which is a script set covering most events of the year.  

Have a great Sunday and pop by the other ladies in our challenge group who have some super inspiration for you.  If you fancy joining our gang please do let us know.  

Zx

To buy any of the stampin' up! products featured in this card please do visit my online shop.

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Challenges

Happy Little Stampers -Stencils